DO you know your neighbour?

It is a question we can all ask ourselves. Are we neighbourly? Are we conscious that older members of our community may need a helping hand from time to time, or just a friendly face calling in to brighten their day and keep them company.

Our lives have become busier through family and work commitments but there is always time to care and being conscious of that, and from time to time putting it into action, could help in a small way to tackle loneliness in our communities.

While generally older people tend to be more susceptible to loneliness, it can affect younger people too and, if it isn't tackled, could escalate into health issues.

"Loneliness can lead to depression and depression can lead to mental illness. It is a downward spiral and I have been saying this for seven years," says Jean Walker, Bradford's champion for older people.

Over the years Jean, the founder and chairman of Bradford & District Senior Power, has been involved in arranging activities, offering support to older people and giving them the opportunity to get out of their homes and make new friends such as the recent Christmas meal attended by more than 50 and held at the Midland Hotel in Jean's home city of Bradford.

"A lot of voluntary organisations, a lot of these places are a lifeline," says Jean.

But she fears with budget cuts, voluntary organisations and services providing this type of support could be hit when, in fact, she believes, more initiatives need to be provided to extend the variety to older people.

"I think they have to put more things there where people can go but more variety," says Jean.

Mingling with others for just a few hours can help to form important friendships and alleviate the loneliness some people feel. Quite often people don't realise they are lonely. They may not see anyone from one day to a next. For them it's part of daily life but it can impact significantly on their health.

Initiatives and services can help to tackle the situation but a longer term solution is what is really required - and that is where we could all do our bit.

Tracey Robbins, policy and research manager for Neighbourhoods with the charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, says while they know loneliness is a 'huge public health issue' she believes it doesn't need a 'service response.' "It is all of our responsibility.

"We need to build the fabric back of neighbourliness and community so they will have friendship networks and possibly family within walking distance," she says.

Three years ago the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Housing Trust launched its 'Let's Talk about Loneliness' campaign.

Local people trained as community researchers and liaised with more than 2,000 residents of all ages from neighbourhoods within Bradford Moor and Denholme in Bradford and the Carr Estate Acomb and New Earswick, York.

The culmination of the campaign was the launch of a resource kit to educate how to identify and combat loneliness within our communities.

Through her work as a researcher for the project within Bradford Moor, Nagenna Khan discovered issues with loneliness she is now addressing through the regular community cultural markets she set up and the group 'Get Together.'

Formed in 2013, 'Get Together' has since secured funding to continue its work, including running regular Chill, Chat and Chew sessions.

"We have a huge multi-cultural city and it is about attracting people from all sorts of different cultures and backgrounds," explains Nageena.

"It's about talking to people and giving them the opportunity to say 'this is how I feel.'

She says it is also beneficial in helping to break down language barriers and, being part of the group gives people a sense of belonging.

Recently the Local Government Association said loneliness should be treated as a 'major public health issue' and that urgent action needed to be taken to address the issue.

"Loneliness is a significant and growing concern for many older people and is something that is now being identified as a major public health issue," says LGA spokesman for public health Izzi Seccombe.

"The impact of loneliness can be devastating and costly - with consequences comparable to smoking and obesity.

"This can be prevented with early intervention, which a number of councils are already successfully delivering in partnership with volunteer and community organisations."

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's charity director, says: "Loneliness blights the lives of over a million people, with many going for weeks without any meaningful human contact. It is a serious condition which can be enormously damaging, both mentally and physically.

The LGA plans to launch a new guide to help councils assist the elderly at its Annual Public Health conference this week.